Improvement in velocipedes



w. VAN ANDEN.

Velocipede.

Patented March 23, 1869.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFI GE.

VILLIAM VAN ANDEN, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCIPEDES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 88,238, dated Marcli23, 1869.

To all whom it mag/concern Be it known that I, YVILLIAM VAN ANDEN, of Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvement in Velocipedes and I do hereby declare that the following is afull and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain improvements in velocipedes; and-consists, broadly,

in the employment of a ratchet device or its equivalent, in connection with a drivingwheel, operated by the feet, by means of which arrangement the velocipede may be permitted to run, under the impulse of amovement, without the rider being compelled to move his feet.

The construction and operation will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a per spective view of my improved velocipedewheel, and Fig. 2 aside elevation of the ratchet device.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe more fully its construction and operation.

This invention has for its object the relieving of the fatigue incidental to the constant movement of the feet of a .velocipede-rider. In the ordinary forms of construction he is obliged to keep his feet in motion or remove them from the treadles, as long as the vehicle moves, whether he be applying power at the time or not. In my improved construction, however, this is notnecessary. While the vehicle is always propelledin a forward direction when the cranks are operated, the rider may at any time cease operating the cranks and rest his feet, the vehicle still continuing its movement under the impulse previously given.

Another important advantage in this arrangement is that if the feet be moved unequally or irregularly, as is frequently the case with persons learning, the revolution of the wheel is not checked thereby.

A represents the front wheel of a velocipede, which, instead of being rigidly secured to the shaft, is left free to revolve therein. B B represent disks, rigidly secured to the shaft A, which are provided with any suitable pawl arrangement, which engages in the usual manner with teeth upon the faces of the hub a of thedriving-wheel, as clearly shownin the drawin gs.

O 0 represent cranks, rigidly secured to the shaft Ain any proper manner.

From this description the operation will be easily understood.

\Vhenever the cranks are operated in the usual manner, the pawl of the disks engages with the teeth of the hub a, and the wheel is consequently given a forward revolution. If, however, the rider desires to rest his feet he ceases the operation of the cranks, and the wheel, being loose upon the shaft, is free to revolve and carry. on the vehicle, the pawls offering no obstacle to the forward movement of the wheel, but preventing only the forward movement of the cranks without the movement of the wheel.

It is evident that the principle of my invention may be varied in many ways without departing from its spirit.

Any friction-clutch, ratchet device, or other similar arrangement which permits movement in one direction, but prevents it in the other, will answer the described purpose.

In order that the wheel may be fixed to the shaft when desired, I provide a pin, 1), upon one of the disks B, and the slide 0 upon the hub a. This slide is slotted, as shown, and is secured by means of the screw or pin 0. This construction permits it to be moved laterally, and when itis desired to secure the wheel to the shaft it is moved outward from the line of the spokes far enough to engage with the pin I) upon the disk B. The revolution of the wheel independent of the shaft is thus prevented, as the slide 0 being against the pin 1), as shown. If desired, it may be inserted in a groove in the wheel, in order that the surface may be left smooth, as is usual.

Other different forms of slot will readily the pedal cranks .O, as described, for the pursugg'est themselves to an experienced mepose set forth. 7 chanic. This specification signed and witnessed this The ratchet device may be appended to one 10th day of February, 1869. or both sides of the Wheel at option.

Having thus fully described my invention, VAN ANDEN' What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Witnesses: Letters Patent, is- S. J. NoYEs,

'lhe ratchet device a B, in combination with FRED. THOMAS. 

